MARQUETTE WOMEN’S LACROSSE IS RANKED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!

It took 11 seasons and a 15-1 start and a 12 game winning streak, but finally, Marquette women’s lacrosse is a nationally ranked powerhouse.

The new IWLCA/ILWomen top 25 poll came out on Monday morning, as it always does, and the Golden Eagles moved from one spot outside the rankings last week to #24 in the country this week. Marquette earned 67 points in the polling, which drops them two points behind #23 UConn..... a team that Marquette beat just nine days ago. Make it make sense, voters. Navy is the #25 team in the poll with 60 points, so it was very close amongst the final three spots in the rankings.

Northwestern, the only team to record a win over Marquette this season, is the new #1 team in the country this week. They earned 14 first place votes to edge out Syracuse by just seven points after the Orange lost for the first time this season on Thursday. Big East co-leader Denver sits at #3 in the rankings, even though they are the last remaining undefeated team this season and earned two first place votes.

In further proof that some of the ILWCA/ILWomen voters are just completely lost in the weeds, Villanova is earning at least one vote this week as they are the unofficial #29 team in the country right now. This comes after earning no votes last week, clattering 4-9 Xavier on Wednesday, and losing by four to Marquette on Sunday. Further proof that the voters are not good at this: Louisville earned at least one vote after losing to Duke on Saturday in the first round of the ACC tournament. Duke is 8-9 after the win..... and Louisville is 5-12 with losses in 10 of their last 11 games, including the 15-11 loss to Marquette back in mid-March. Is this a thing where they have to pick teams on a drop down menu and someone accidentally voted for UL instead of Loyola Maryland, which is 1) the next team alphabetically and 2) the #9 team in the country this week?

Marquette returns to action on Saturday afternoon when they will host #3 Denver in the regular season finale. Both teams are 5-0 in Big East action, so the winner will be the regular season champion, while the loser will have to settle for the #2 seed in the conference tournament. First draw is set for Noon Central, and FloSports will have the streaming broadcast.

You can check out the entire top 25 right here.